Escapement mechanism for type-writing machines.



PATE-ETED NOV. 21, 1905.

E WRITING MACHINES.

ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM F93 TY]? APPLICATION FILED M31115, 1903.

mom

Ui llifED ASSiGNOB. T FAY-S. OLES A CORPORATIQN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 2'1, 1905.

Application filed January 15, 1903. Serial No. 139,162.

To (1.7]. whom it may concern:

Beitknown that LGHARnns N.FAY, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Escapoment Mechanism for 'lype-W'riting Machines, of which the following is declared to be a full. cleaigand exact description.

The invention relates to an escapement for the usual power-propelled carriage of a typewriting machine, and seeks to provide an effective construction whereby the power of the carriage-driving device will be brought into play to cum or force the shiftable member of the escapement device rapidly back to normal position and whereby the letter-space movement of the carriage in the usual form of escapement will commence as soon as the pressure upon the type-bar finger-keys is rele sed.

The invention consis .s in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the features of construction set forth in the following description, illustrated. in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the top plate of thetype-writing machine, illustrating): the carriage and the improved escapement mechanism. Fig. '2 is a longitudinal section of the escapement mechanism. Fig. Sis a rear View of the same. Fig. i is a sectiona-l view on the line 4 4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5

is a front faceview of the loose escapementwheel. Fig. 6 is diagrammatic view of the escapement wheels and dog. Fig. 7 is a similar view, showing a different form of dog.

All parts of the type-writing machine not directly pertaining to the present invention are omitted for the sake of clearness.

The top plate 10 of the machine carries the carriage-rails l'hwhcreon is movably mounted the carriage 12, which supports the paperplatcn The carriage is moved in letterspacc direction in the usual manner by a spring-drum 14:. which. is connected to the carriage by the usual strap 15and hook 16. A bracket 17 is mounted upon the rear central portion of the top plate 10 and carries at ment.

vided for its upper end a hearing or journal-boa 18, 1

which is preferably downwardly inclined toward the front of the machine, as shown. and Within which is rotatably mounted a short i l I i shaft or journal 19. (See Fig". 2.) To the forward end of the shaft 19 is fixed pinion 52.0, which intermeshes with the teeth of a rack 21. mounted upon the carriage. The rack 21 is of usual form and is preferably pivoted as at 22, to the carriage, so that the rack may be lifted to release the carriage from its escape- Gn the rear end of two parallel circular escapement racks or wheels 23 and 24.. Escapement-whel 23 is fixed to the shaft or journal 19 by a pin 25 or in any other suitable manner. The circuthe shaft 19 are mounted lar escapement rack or wheel 24 is loosely' mounted upon the shaft 19, out is connected thereto by a coiled spring 26. (See Fig. '2.) The spring 26 is connected at one end to the loose escapement rack or wheel 24L and at the other end. to cap-plate 27. This cap-plate 2i. shown, fits over a reduced portion upon the end of the shaft or journal 19 and incloses the coiled spring 26, and the cap is secured to rotate with a shaft by a nut 28, threaded upon the reduced portion thereof.

Stop devices are provided for limiting the relative throw of the loose escapement rack or wheel 24, which preferably comprises a pin 29, extending through the wheel 23 and projecting into a slot or out-away portion 30 in the front side of the wheel 24:. Slot 30 is oi proper Width to limit the relative throw of the loose rack 24 to one letter-space.

To adjust the relative position of the escapeinent-wheels 23 and 2e, means are proadjusting the position of the stoppin relatively to the slot 30, and this is conveniently effected by forming the end portion 31 of the pin which engages the slot 30 eccentric to the axis of the pin, indicated in Fig. 2. 'jlhen by rotating the pin 29within .its bearing in the wheel 23 the eccentric stop portion 31 may be convenientlyand accurately adjusted.

For. convenience in effecting the adjustment the pin 29 is provided with a hexagonal poi--- tion 32 or with a slot in its end, which may beengaged by some suitable tool to rotate the pin. A lock-nut 3% is provided on the end of the pin for holding' it securely in its adjusted position.

Suit-ably journaled between uprights shaft or dog-rocker 36, which is conveniently to one end of the dog-holder, as at 43, and is -normally held against a stop 44 (see Fig. 4)

upon the opposite end bf the dog-holder by'a compression-spring 45, said spring being interposed between the dog-holden39 and the dog 42, as indicated.

In the form shown the dog is normally in engagement with the loose wheel 24 and is held in such position byacompression-spring 46, interposed between the dog-holder 39 and the bracket 17. lVhen the universal bar is depressed by the actuation of any of the typebar finger keys of the machine, the dogrocker is moved forwardly against the tension of spring 46 by the connecting-link 38 and arm 37, so as to bring the dog into engagement with the teeth of the lixcd rack or escapement-wheel 23 and hold the carriage in position until the type has struck the paper on the platen, made its impression, and the finger-key released. As soon as the dog is disengaged from the teeth of the loose wheel 24 in such operation said wheel is spaced forward by the spring 26 the distance of one letter-space, and upon the return movement of the dog under the influence of the spring 46 the latter engages the next succeeding tooth of the loose wheel 24, and the carriage is moved forward by its propelling mechanism one letter-space. In this operation it will be seen that the letter-space movement -of the carriage takes place -immediately after the type strikes the platen. The arrangement of parts may be easily modified, so that the dog 42 will normally engage the fixed escapement rack or Wheel 23 and be shifted by the operation of the universal bar temporarily into engagement with the loose rack or wheel 24. By

"the latter arrangement, as will be understood,

the operation will'be that of the so-called reversed escapcm'ent i. 0., the letter-space movement of the carriage will take place before the type strikes the platen. fication of the parts may be readily ett'ected .without departure from the scope of the present invention. 1 I

In orderto prevent skipping, the dog 42 should, as shown, be wide. enough to engage both the escapem'ent racks or wheels simultaneously when passing from one to the other. In order to securely hold the carriage in normal position, the teeth of the rack or escapement-wheel with which the dog normally engages- (in this instance the loose spring-held rack 24) are provided with working faces Such modi structions.

which are straight or parallel to the plane of movement of the dog, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7; but in order that the power of the carriage propelling drum may be brought into play to rapidly cam or force the 7 dog back to normal position the teeth of the other of said escapement racks or wheels (in this instance the fixed wheel 23) are beveled or inclined to the plane of movement of the dog,

as indicated in Figs. 1, 4, 6, and 7. By this inclination ofthe working faces as soon as I pressure is relieved upon one of the typekeys the power of the carriage-drum 14, act ing upon the ratchet 23, will force the dog 42 rapidly back to normal, position and the speed of the cscapement will be considerably increased. Moreover, in the form of escapernent illustrated in the drawings the letterspace movement may commence as soon as the pressure on the finger-key is released and 5 as soon as the dog commences its return 1novement-that is to say, the commencement of the letter-space movement is not delayed until the dog is entirely free from the teeth of the escapement-wheeI 23, as in prior eon- 9 The' etfect of this arrangement is to give the carriage more time to pass from one letter-space position to the next, and in rapidwriting the carriage may move its full letter-space distance and come to rest'without undue vibration before the next" type reaches the paper on the,platen, and t'or this reason the spacing of the Writing is much improved and the speed considerably increased.

It is obvious that numerous changes may I00 be made in the details of structure without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined by the claims. I

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 5 Patent, is- I 1. In escapement mechanism fortype-writi'ng machines, the combination with a powerpropelled carriage, of two escapement-racks cooperating with said carriage, one of said U racks being spring-held and shiftabl'e relatively to theother, a slot formed in one of said racks, a pin mounted upon the other of said racks projecting at right angles to the plane thereof and arranged to engage said slot, means I i 5 lor adjusting the position of said pin and a shiftable dog arranged to engage said racks.

2. lnescapement mechanism for type-w riting machines, the combination with a power propelled carriage, of two escapement-racks T20 cooperating with said carriage, one of said racks being'spring-held and shiftable relatively to .the other, a slot formed in one of said racks, a pin jour'naled on the' other of said racks and havingan eccentric portion arrangedl. to engage said slot, the position of which ec-" centric portion is adjusted by the rotation of said pin and a shil'table dog arranged to engage said racks.

3'. In escapement mechanism for type-writ- 3 by a rack soaese ing machines, thecombination with a powerpropelled carriage, of a shaft journaled on the machine-frame and operatively connected to said carriage, two escapement-wheels mounted side by side on said shaft, one of said wheels being spring-held and loose on said shaft and the other fixed thereto, a slot in one of said wheels projecting at right angles to the plane thereof, and a pin upon the other of said wheels engaging said slot, means for adjusting the position of said pin a lock-nut.fo r holding said pin in adjusted position and a shiftable dog engaging the teeth of said wheels.

4:. In eseapcment mechanism for type-writing machines, the combination witha powerpropelled carriage, of a shaft journaled on the machine-frame and operativel y connected to said carriage, two escapement-wheels mounted side by side on .said shaft, one of said wheels being spring-held and loose on said shaft and the other fixed thereto, a slot in one of said wheels, a pin journaled upon one of said wheels and having an eccentric portion engaging said slot, the position of which e0 centric portion is adjusted by the rotation of said pin, a lock-nut for said pin and a shiftable dogarranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet-wheels.

5; In escapement mechanism for type-writing machines, the combination with a powerpropelled carriage. of two parallel escapementracks cooperating with said carriage, one of said racks being spring-held and shiftabl'e relatively to the other, a slot formed in one of said racks, a pin rotatably mounted on the other of said racks and projecting laterally from the plane of said rack, an eccentric head on said pin arranged to engage said slot, means for rotating said pin to adjust said eccentric portion and a lock-nut for holding said pin in adjusted position. 7

6. in escapement mechanism for ty pe-writ ing machines, the combination with a powerpropelled carriage, of two parallel escapement wheels operatively connected to said carriage and pinion, one of said wheels being spring-held and movable relatively to the other, stop devices for limiting the relative throw of said spring-held wheel, a dog nor mally engaging one of said wheels and means for shifting said dog to engage the other of said wheels, the teeth of said normally engaged wheel having working faces straight or parallel to the plane of movement of said dog and the teeth of the other of said working faces .having beveled or inclined working faces.

7 In eseapement mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a powerpropelled carriage, of two parallel escapementwheels operatively connected to said carriage by a rack and pinion, one of said wheels 'being spring-held and movable relatively to the other, stop devices for limiting the relative throw of said spring-held wheel, a dog normally engaging one of said wheels and means for shifting said dog to engage the other of said wheels, the teeth of said normally engaged wheel having working faces straight or parallel to the plane of movement of said dog and the teeth of the other of said wheels having beveled or inclined working faces and the Working faces of said dog having corresponding straight and beveled portions.

8. In escapement mechanism for type-writing machines, the combination with a power propelled carriage and with a rack mounted thereon,of a shaft 'ournal.ed on the main frame, a pinion on one end of said shaft engaging said rack, two escapement-wheels mounte upon the opposite end of said shaft, one of said wheels being fixed to said shaft and the other spring-held and loosely mounted thereon,stop devices interposed between said wheels for limiting the relative throw of said springheid wheel, a shiftable dog normally engaging said spring-held wheel and means for shifting said dog to engage the other of said wheels, the teeth of said spring-held wheel having working faces straight or parallel to the plane of movement of said dog and the teeth of the other of said wheels having beveled or inclined working faces.

9. In escapement mechanism for type-writing machines, the combination with a powerpropelled carriage, and with a rack pivoted thereto, of ashaft'journaled on the main frame, a pinion on one end of said shaft normally en gaging said rack, two escapement wheels mounted upon the opposite end of said shaft, one of said wheels being fixed and the other spring-held and loosely mounted on said shaft, a slot in one of said wheels, a stop pin on the other of said wheels and engaging said slot, a vibratory dog normally engaging said springheld wheel and means for shifting said dog to engage said fixed wheel, the teeth of said loose wheel having working faces straight or parallel to the plane of movement of said dog and the teeth of said fixed wheel having beveled or inclined working faces and the working faces of said dog having corresponding straight and beveled portiona CHARLES N. FAY.

Witnesses:

HARRY L. CLAPP, ALBERTA ADAMIGK. 

